Drinking fountain attachment for faucets



April 17, 1962 T. SLATER, JR

DRINKING FOUNTAIN ATTACHMENT FOR FAUCETS Filed June 6, 1960 .P W W INVEN TOR. 721mm: 52/: TEE J k 4TTOR YEY5 3,030,029 DRINKING FOUNTAINATTACHMENT FOR FAUCETS Thomas Slater, IL, 14057 32nd .Ave. NE,

Seattle, Wash. Filed June 6, 1960, Ser. No. 34,193 3 Claims. (Cl.239--25) This invention relates to drinking fountain attachments forfaucets, and it has reference more particularly to attachments thatrequire no alteration in construction of the faucet for the applicationof the attachment thereto or change in its mode of use when equippedwith the attachment.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provisionof a drinking fountain attachment that is adapted to be threaded ontothe discharge end of the usual faucet spout and which embodies, as apart thereof, a tubular valve chamber from which water can be dischargedwhen the faucet valve is open, under valve control, for easy drinking asfrom a bubble up type of fountain.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide drinkingattachments of various bubble up types that can be readily applied toand utilized with most present day types of home faucets; which arerelatively inexpensive; which can be easily used by children withoutexcessive waste of water and which includes a valve that automaticallycloses when released.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details ofconstruction of the various parts thereof and in their assembly and modeof use.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention,I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferredforms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a drinking fountain attachment of the presentinvention, shown in position for application to the end portion of thespout of a typical present day home faucet.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, taken lengthwise of the attachment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 2, butshowing some parts separated from the housing for better understandingof their construction.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of an attachment device of analternative form embodied by this invention.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 in FIG, 4.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through an attachment devicesimilar to that of FIG. 5 but utilizing a control valve of differentkind.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, 10 designates the outer end portion ofthe water discharge spout of a typical home faucet such as that used inconnection with a supply line for delivery of water under pressure to asink. This spout has a downturned, exteriorly threaded end portion 10::onto which the present drinking fountain attachments of FIGS. 1 and 4are adapted to be threaded.

In the device of FIG. 1, the fountain attachment comprises a shorttubular body 12 that is interiorly threaded at its upper end, as shownat 13 in FIG. 2, for its ready threaded attachment to the faucet spout.At its lower end, this housing has a discharge opening 14 within which ascreen or strainer 15 is fitted. When the body 12 has been threaded ontothe faucet spout, water may be discharged from the faucet through thetubular body 12 and opening 14 in the usual way by opening the faucetvalve. Usually such faucets are placed over a sink or suitable drain.

3,@3,2 Patented Apr. 1?, 19%2 The feature of the present inventionresides in the provision of a drinking fountain attachment that isapplied to or may be made integral with the tubular body 12. and doesnot require, in any way, the alteration of the faucet in its use orstructure.

It has been well shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 that the hollow body 12, whichmay be or corresponds to the usual type of aerator presently used onfaucet spouts, is provided at one side with an integrally formedhorizontally extending tubular valve housing 16. Formed in this valvehousing 16, intermediate its ends is an inwardly facing valve seat 17against which a ball valve 18 is yieldingly held seated by a coil spring19 that is positioned within the inner end portion of the housing 16, asbest shown in FIG. 2. At its inner end, this tubular housing 16registers with a sidewall port 12p of housing 12 and opens into the endof a tube 20 of smaller diameter, that extends through and beyond theopposite sidewall of housing 12 and, within that end portion, has a flowcontrol screw 21 adjustably threaded thereinto. Formed in the top sideof tube 20, in the axial center line of housing 12, is a water receivinghole 22 through which water may enter the tube 20 from the housing 12for outflow to the drinking tube of the attachment device, presently tobe described.

Threaded onto the outer end of the tubular valve housing 16 is a packinggland enclosing cap 23 and slidably fitted for movement through said capand gland, and extending coaxially into the tube 16, is a valve stem 24-which, at its inner end, is engaged with the ball valve 18 for unseatingit upon pushing the stem 24 inwardly. For this purpose, the stem isequipped at its outer end with a button 24b. When the valve 18 isunseated by inward pushing of the stem, Water can flow outwardly throughthe housing 16 to a discharge port 25 formed in its top side and openingupwardly through a boss 16b to which a short flexible drinking tube 26is attached by a nipple 16' that is threaded onto the boss.

It is to be understood that, when the valve of the faucet, not hereinshown, is opened, water can flow from spout 10 into the chamber of theaerator housing 12 and from it will pass over and about the tube 20 toflow out through the aerator in the usual way. With the water thusflowing, the drinking attachment may be used by pressing inwardly onbutton 24b, thus to unseat ball valve 18. Water will then flow past thevalve seat to the drinking tube 26 through outlet port 25. The amount ofwater flow to the drinking tube may be regulated by and is in accordancewith adjustment of screw 21 to cover to more or less extent the area ofoutlet 22 as formed in tube 20.

To better direct water under a certain amount of pressure into the tube24} for discharge to the drinking outlet, I have placed a nozzle member27 in the upper end portion of the housing 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Thisnozzle member has a central discharge passage 27p directed therethroughtoward hole 22 in tube 20, so that a jet of water entering the housing12 will be caused to be more or less forcibly delivered into the tube20. The supporting flange 27 of this nozzle is notched about itsperiphery as shown in FIG. 3 so that water can also enter the chamber ofthe housing 12 through these peripheral notches. When inward pressure onvalve stem 24, which unseats the ball valve, is released, the coilspring 19 closes the valve passage to the drinking tube and yieldinglyretains it closed.

A modification of the drinking attachment of FIG. 1 is shown in FIGS. 4and 5 wherein the cylindrical aerator body 12a is adapted to be threadedat one end onto a faucet spout 10e. This body has a threaded neck 12b atits lower end for application thereto of a screen cap 12c. A scoop 30 isformed in the chamber of housing 12a in position to divert a part of thewater from the spout to a sidewall outlet 12d of the housing 12a, intowhich outlet a valve housing 16x is threaded. Outflow of water throughvalve housing 16x is under control of a rotatable valve plug 27 fittedtherein; this plug being equipped with a handle 27x. Outflow from thevalve housing is through a tubular stem 29 which has an upturned endthat connects with a flexible tubular extension 29x Use of thisattachment is as in the device of FIG. 1. Flow of water is under controlof valve plug 27.

Another modification of this attachment has been illustrated in FIG. 6.However, in this modification, a hollow, closed cylindrical chamber 30xhas been applied horizontally to the tubular body 12:: at the locationof and enclosing a sidewall outlet port 12b. The outlet port in thisinstance is formed with a tapered valve seat 31 against which a valvehead 32 may be seated to prevent water outflow. The valve head 32 ishere shown to be mounted at the inner end of a valve stem 33 whichextends through the hollow receptacle 30x and at its outer end isequipped with a push button 34. A coil spring 35 is held undercompression in the water scoop 30, as shown, and this acts against thevalve head to yieldingly urge the valve to closed position.

The attachment devices herein shown may be easily and readily applied topresent day faucets as used over kitchen sinks, or basins. No materialalteration of the faucets, in construction or mode of use is required;the devices are simple in construction, relatively inexpensive andprovide easily used and convenient means for drinking. Each can bemanually opened but is automatically closed to avoid water waste.

What I claim as new is:

1. A drinking fountain attachment for a water faucet to which water isdelivered under pressure; said attachment comprising a tubular housingadapted for threaded connection at its upper end to the faucet spout andhaving a discharge opening at its lower end, and providing a waterchamber therein, a tubular member extending diametrically through saidtubular housing and from its opposite sidewalls and formed between itsends with a sidewall port for reception of water under pressure fromsaid chamber of said tubular housing, a valve housing joined at itsinner end with said tubular housing, in registration with one end ofsaid tubular member, said valve housing having a discharge port for anoutflow of water for drinking, a manually opened control valve containedwithin said tubular housing for controlling the outfiow of watertherefrom for drinking and a flow regulating screw threaded into theopposite end of said tubular member for adjustment across said sidewallport of the tubular member to establish the inflow of water through itssidewall port.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a nozzle forming member is mounted inthe threaded end portion of the tubular housing and is operable todeliver a jet of water from the faucet spout directly into the sidewallopening of said tubular member.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said valve housing includes a valveseat, a ball valve in the valve housing and a spring means yieldinglyholding said ball valve against said valve seat and a stem slidablymounted in the outer end portion of the valve housing and said sternbeing operable to unseat the ball from its seat.

Hyde May 29, 1956 Martin Aug. 11, 1959

